HI3: I Don't Want to Be a Valkyrie

"Ugh... Ugh..." Yae Sakura emerged from Higokumaru's tail, hastily spitting out saliva as if possessed.

"What's wrong, Big Sister?" Higokumaru asked with concern, witnessing Yae Sakura's peculiar behavior.

"Higokumaru, is your tail shedding that badly?" she questioned. In her haste, she had inadvertently inhaled a mouthful of fox fur.

"Is it really?" Higokumaru replied awkwardly, scratching his ear in embarrassment.

-

"Ruff... ruff..."

As if sensing it was being ignored, the creature behind the gate let out a single bark.

At that moment, Yae Sakura and Higokumaru finally turned their attention inward only to see—a dog some five or six meters long with three heads?

A triple-headed dog? Or perhaps more accurately, a three-headed canine beast.

"We've been deceived..." muttered one of them.

Behind the door stood no master—only an enormous three-headed hound.

"Woof..." Seeing at last that they were looking its way, each of the three-headed dog's mouths parted simultaneously. Three fireballs hurtled directly towards Yae Sakura and Higokumaru.

"You dare play with fire before me? Who granted you such audacity?" As the flames approached, one of the tails on Higokumaru's back swelled larger. With a flick akin to a whip crack, she effortlessly dispersed the fireballs.

"It seems my turn to make a move now," Higokumaru said coolly. "Time for your comeuppance, little pup..."

She extended her right hand, summoning a small ball of flame which she casually tossed forward. The inferno struck the three-headed dog head-on, instantly engulfing it in flames. In less than a second, nothing remained but ash scattered across the ground.

"Eliminated without breaking a sweat," Higokumaru remarked, clapping her hands lightly as if pleased by this effortless victory.

"The high-ranking demon lord we sought must still be here somewhere..." While Higokumaru took action, Yae Sakura observed quietly from the sidelines.

"Oh, there he is—in there." Higokumaru pointed deep into the grand hall beyond.

"I see... So we won't need to search further then."

Yae Sakura and Higokumaru entered the grand hall together. With a quick glance around, they noticed no one present save for a solitary throne at the far end.

"Remarkable," came a voice. "To have defeated my beloved Cerberus—no wonder you were able to thwart my plans." As if by magic, a young man materialized out of thin air on the previously empty throne.

He stood tall, nearly two meters in height, with striking red hair and piercing crimson eyes.

"So you're the demon mastermind behind all this?" Yae Sakura observed the youth before her, sensing unmistakably the same aura that had emanated from those soldiers earlier.

"Precisely," he replied confidently. "I am indeed the legendary high-ranking demon, an Archdemon General. You should feel honored just to lay eyes upon me!"

"There are two more of you as well," Yae Sakura said, removing her hat to reveal fox ears atop her head. She then turned to look towards a spot not far above them. "Why don't you both show yourselves?"

As she spoke, the remaining pair ceased their concealment and made themselves known.

One bore a strong resemblance to the old king they had encountered in the dungeon—but now, horns protruded from his forehead. This must be the demonic imposter who had disguised as the king—a revelation that sent chills through Yae Sakura's heart.

The other figure wore a peculiar mask that concealed his entire face, leaving no glimpse of his true appearance.

"Two demons and one masked man..." Yae Sakura mused aloud.

Both targets mentioned in the quest notification had now materialized before her eyes. If she wasn't mistaken, this masked individual should be the legendary adventurer hinted at earlier—a fallen hero who'd aligned himself with demonic forces.

"A Magic Beast?" He studied the ears atop Yae Sakura's head; it was clear she couldn't possibly be human.

"But not quite..." Yae Sakura felt compelled to clarify, though she knew it held little significance. "Whether you're a demon or something else is irrelevant. Your power is undeniable—I witnessed your display outside. I never expected to encounter such a formidable adventurer like yourself here."

"If I drink your blood and feast on your flesh," the high-ranking demon mused aloud, "my power would undoubtedly become even greater!"

With that, he struck with lightning speed. A whip materialized in his hand—a lash wreathed in flames—that he hurled directly at Yae Sakura and her companion.

"Falling Cherry Blossoms Slash!"

As the fiery whip bore down on them, Yae Sakura gripped her hilt and drew her blade in an instant. With a flash of crimson steel, she severed the whip cleanly.

In that same moment, the two figures flanking them also made their move. The false king produced a trident from nowhere, launching a surprise thrust aimed straight for Yae Sakura's heart.

Meanwhile, the masked figure blurred into motion... vanishing entirely before reappearing behind Higokumaru. His hands clasped around his greatsword as he swung it towards Higokumaru's head with deadly precision.

Despite sensing the masked assailant closing in from behind, Higokumaru remained utterly composed.

Her red tail crackled with fox fire, lashing out with a resounding crack that sent the masked attacker flying against the wall of the underground palace.

The impact left a web of cracks across the stone surface—a testament to the ferocity of Higokumaru's whip-like strike.

At that moment, Yae Sakura effortlessly sidestepped as the false king charged at her with his trident. The attack missed its mark entirely.

Before the imposter could even turn around, Artemis materialized in Yae Sakura's hand. With pinpoint accuracy, she fired straight through the false king's skull.

Thud...

The false king's head exploded on impact.

Just then, the high-rank demon general closed in on Yae Sakura, its razor-sharp claws aimed directly for her throat.

"Hit Stream Slash!"

With a burst of extreme agility, Yae Sakura dodged while unleashing a torrent of sword glares from all around the demon general.

As she prepared to deliver the finishing blow, an enormous fire fox suddenly appeared, snapping up the high-rank demon general in one swift motion. In the blink of an eye, it swallowed him whole.

Yae Sakura stared speechlessly at the fire fox burping contentedly. "...You ate him?"

"Yeah..." the fire fox nodded. "But boy, what a nasty taste."

Using its two fox tails, the creature then swept up both the remains of the false king and another mask-wearing figure attempting to flee. Fox fire ignited instantly, reducing them to ash within moments.

"Don't go around eating random things," Yae Sakura chided helplessly, gazing at Higokumaru—the once-human girl now transformed into this massive fire fox. "You're not some indestructible being. What if you'd eaten something akin to Sun Wukong? That monkey loved causing chaos inside people's stomachs—you know that!"

"I just wanted to sample the flavor of these demons," Higokumaru replied matter-of-factly, shifting back to her human form once more.

Yae Sakura was left utterly speechless by this nonchalant response.

[Quest Completed: Eliminate the Imposter King]

"Claim your rewards now!"

[Received: Crystals x88, Valkyrie Molotov Cherry Fragment x1, Soul of the Old King.]

Staring at the list, Yae Sakura fell silent for a moment.

"How many crystals is this old king's soul worth?"

[2 crystals.]

"Can I decline it?"

[The host may choose as they wish.]

"Then I'll return it... It's only two crystals after all..."

[The old king has already perished.]

"Oh..."